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In January 2022, plant manufacturer and process expert, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik, expanded its powder synthesis capacity at the company’s technology center in Weimar. The newly installed system ensures a homogenous process temperature throughout the entire length of the ProAPP® 80 HT reactor or the targeted adjustment of temperature gradients. This allows different process steps to be combined. This enables new applications to be developed, the production of high-performance materials at even higher temperatures and more efficient process flows.

The newly installed ProAPP® 80 HT laboratory plant significantly expands Glatt’s range of pulsating gas stream powder synthesis applications. This is made possible by maintaining a constant process temperature (from room temperature to 1300 °C) within a continuously operated vertical reaction tube. With this technology, high-temperature phases can be generated in the powders, which are subsequently frozen by extremely rapid cooling at the end of the reactor.

Such metastable states often exhibit improved properties compared with the equilibrium condition and make completely new applications possible. In the energy sector, for example, this economically attractive process can be used to make more powerful and environmentally friendly battery materials. Similarly, in the medical technology field, better tolerated and/or longer lasting materials for ceramic implants and prosthetics can be produced.

Even more efficient process sequences

Owing to the sequential design of the additional reactor heater, specific temperature gradients can be set during synthesis. This makes it possible to separate the drying and particle generation process from the downstream thermal treatment of the powder particles. Where, previously, two different process steps were required, one run is now sufficient.

Dr Viktor Drescher, Product Manager, Thermal Powder Synthesis at Glatt Ingenieurtechnik, explains: “Customer demand for our pulsating gas stream technology for powder synthesis has risen continuously. The same applies to the need to produce high-performance materials at higher temperatures. As it is our declared goal to explore innovative paths with our customers, we have expanded our technology center in Weimar accordingly.”

With the new facility, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik is expanding its laboratory capacity. At the same time, it acts as the cornerstone for more efficient process design and offers more opportunities for customers to run feasibility trials and/or develop innovative powder materials. These powders can also be manufactured as part of the company’s contract production service. For industrial applications that exceed the existing capacity, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik can scale-up synthesis reactors to accomplish customers’ needs.